Who will be the next king of Saudi Arabia?

Riyadh’s latest appointment suggests that traditionally secretive royal rivalries may be moving into the public eye as the succession process comes to a head.

SAUDI PRINCES in a meeting at the Royal Palace in Jeddah.
(photo credit:Reuters)

Speculation about who will rule Saudi Arabia in the future is mounting after the surprise February 1 appointment of Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz as second deputy prime minister, a post long viewed as “crown prince in waiting.”The unexpected move puts a spotlight on the complicated politics and procedures surrounding Saudi succession.